Fermental to tap craft beer market

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 11:30 AM

Steve Gibbs is no stranger to humping around cases of beer and wine.

By Paul Stephen

With nearly a decade in the adult beverages business, Steve Gibbs is no stranger to humping around cases of beer and wine. Lucky for him, his wife, local chiropractor Kristen Gibbs, is lending a hand in straightening out his new business.

The duo are behind Fermental, a new beer and wine shop permitted to allow on-site consuming, in what he believes to be the underserved Ogden area. While his first love is for craft and specialty brew, Gibbs says the selection of both grain and grape promises to be unique.

Opening this weekend at 7250-B Market St., just before the Big Lots shopping plaza, Fermental is situated in a converted home. The living room serves as the register point, a dining room off to the side stocked with exotic ales. Turn a corner into a back bedroom and you find a cozy lounging area to sit down and sip.

The beer selection has a strong leaning towards Belgians, and about half of the selection is available in kegs. Rare labels like St. Bernardus share shelf space with common bottles of Chimay. Others include an organic Welsh beer from the Celt Experience Brewery and the snarky offerings produced by the Denmark-based Evil Twin Brewing. The wine options can satisfy both the high-end or value buyer.

The selection doesn't stop at suds. A few related nibbles like hops candy and beer-laced cheeses fill out the front counter space. A small cache of home brewing gear can be found in a back room. And then there's dessert. Fermental is the state's only current distributor of Wine Ice Cream made by Mercer's Dairy of Booneville, NY. Clocking in at roughly 5-6% ABV, Gibbs is required to card customers intent on enjoying the double indulgence.

Gibbs let me poke around with a camera during my visit, here's a gallery of photos. He says tastings, music and possibly some educational classes are coming soon. An outdoor beer garden will be ready as warmer weather approaches. While the fire safety paperwork isn't complete yet, Gibbs expects the space to be granted an occupancy of around 30. Visit their Facebook or Twitter pages for updates, or give Steve a call at (910) 821-0362